Painaustralia In The News
2024
June 2024
Painaustralia CEO, Giulia Jones, wrote an opinion piece for the Health Services Daily. Read here.
February 2024
Painaustralia CEO Giulia Jones speaks to Dave Wood on ultra106fiveFM Hobart about our new app. Listen here.
2022
ABC Breakfast Radio Canberra with Adam Shirley 23/06/2022
Painaustralia CEO Giulia Jones speaks to Adam Shirley on ABC Breakfast Radio Canberra about long term pain affecting people in the workplace. Listen here.
Online City News 06/06/2022
Giulia Jones appointed to CEO of Painaustralia
Giulia Jones appointed to CEO of Painaustralia. AFTER announcing her retirement from ACT politics last week, former Canberra Liberals member for Murrumbidgee Giulia Jones has been appointed as CEO of Painaustralia.
NT News 06/06/2022
Painaustralia: Former MLA Giulia Jones appointed CEO
Less than a week after giving her final speech to the ACT Legislative Assembly, former Liberal MLA Giulia Jones has announced her new role as the chief executive of Painaustralia.
Painaustralia is health advocacy organisation that aims to improve the lives of people living with pain.
Mrs Jones said she wanted to “assure people who’ve had their quality of life taken away by the insidious impact of long-term pain” she would “take up your cause with determination and vigour”...
Dare 10/2021
...Carol Bennett, CEO of national advocacy
body Painaustralia, says more
than a million Australians over 65
are living with chronic pain – a rate that
is almost twice as high as the working age
population. “The most important issue is
ensuring people have good knowledge of
pain and how to manage it,” says Carol.
“And not just with medication but how to
manage pain in a holistic way, which is
more effective than just using medication...
2021
Global Accessibility News 30/09/2021
Australia: Alliance Calls for Accessible Product Design.
The Accessible Product Design Alliance has released a statement calling for changes in products and packaging design to assure equal accessibility among consumers, including those with disabling disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
Composed of 11 nonprofit health consumer organizations in Australia and New Zealand — including MS Australia — the alliance recognizes how difficulties with accessing packaged products can “cause day to day frustration for people without disability, but for those who have a chronic condition or a disability these products and packaging can become impossible,” according to a statement...
Short Black with Sandra Sully 28/09/2021
Sr Mary-Lynne Cochrane, Chair of Painaustralia's Consumer Advisory Group, was featured on the episode of the channel 10 podcast Short Black with Sandra Sully. Mary-Lynne shares her lived experience of chronic pain.
ABC Radio 14/09/2021
On 14 September 2021, Painauastralia CEO Carol Bennett spoke to Indira Naidoo on ABC Radio’s Afternoons about the obstacles some types of product packaging can present to those living with chronic pain, and promoted the push to create accessible packaging and products.
ABC News 14/09/2021
We learned how the venom of a cone snail can be a potent painkiller when engineered to be put into a tobacco plant, allowing scientists to grow the pain killing medicine in plants by modifying DNA.
“Research like this that shows some promising early results, can actually help us provide some hope for the future” said Painaustralia CEO Carol Bennett.
ABC News 14/09/2021
Imagine if you could eat potato chips to help you lose weight or drink a medicine-infused tea to treat cancer or ease chronic pain.
Imagine if you could consume cheaper, environmentally friendly medicine through edible plants that have been genetically engineered as "natural drugs" grown in your own back yard...
...Pain Australia CEO Carol Bennett said with 3.4 million Australians impacted by chronic pain, she cannot wait to hear the results of the eventual clinical trials.
"The mainstay of pain management has been opioid medication for some time and with increasing dependence and harm, its use for managing chronic pain has become more restricted," she said...
ABC News 14/09/2021
Push for more accessible packaging products
Painauastralia CEO, Carol Bennett spoke to ABC AM show’s presenter, Nas Campanella, about the obstacles some types of product packaging can present to those living with chronic pain, and promoted the push to create accessible packaging and products. Listen to the full interview here
CNN World 11/09/2021
Australian man with chronic pain sets world record by holding plank for over 9 hours
...On August 6 in Adelaide, Australia, Scali beat the previous record by over an hour, Guinness World Records confirmed. This was his second attempt as he was disqualified after his first try, during which he held a plank for 9 hours and 9 minutes. Officials took issue with the position of his hips, he said...
...Since he broke the record, Scali said he is often asked which record he wants to break next. But he is now focused on continuing to raise awareness for CRPS. He uses his attempts at holding the plank poses for long periods of time as fundraisers and has raised 19,223 Australian dollars (about $14,147) for Painaustralia, an advocacy organization for those dealing with chronic pain...
Australian Pharmacist 08/09/2021
How unseen, unconscious bias affects women’s healthcare
To coincide with Women’s Health Week, this article on 8 September 2021 from Australian Pharmacist explores why women’s health and chronic pain is often minimised.
Painaustralia CEO Carol Bennett said chronic pain impacts on the daily lives of so many Australian women, who are often stigmatised and have their pain dismissed with very little understanding and research into pain conditions, including period pain and endometriosis.
Sydney Sun 25/08/2021
Report says Australians spend big on back-related disease
...CEO of Pain Australia Carol Bennett told Xinhua that the report showed just one side of the economic cost back-related issues have in Australia.
"It affects people in their most productive years, so a lot of the costs that are associated with back-related pain tend to be related with lost productivity," said Bennett.
Bennett said back pain and back-related issues are one of the leading causes of early retirement in Australia, representing a huge burden to the country's health and retirement systems...
Body + Soul 23/08/2021
“There is no magic solution to chronic pain.
But there is hope”
...CRPS is itself classified as a rare disorder, but advocacy group Painaustralia says statistics show that more than
3.4 million Australians are living with chronic pain from various causes, such
as injury, surgery, migraine, arthritis or conditions like the one Moss has. Yet because this kind of pain is invisible, the impact it has on sufferers is not widely acknowledged or understood. It is this lack of understanding, even from within the healthcare system, that can leave sufferers feeling terrified and alone...
89.7 Eastside FM 04/08/2021
Eric Gyors & Luke Dobrovic from 89.7 Eastside FM interviewed the author of Breaking through the Pain Barrier: The Extraordinary Life of Dr Michael J. Cousins, Gabriella Kelly-Davies Wednesday Drive. Gabriella spoke about living with chronic pain and stressed that a really good communication and education strategy is the best way to get people understand and de-stigmatise chronic pain. Gabrielle also mentioned listed the resources available to people living with chronic pain, including Painaustralia’s Pain Services Directory. The full interview, that covers a range of topics and advice about living with chronic pain, is available here.
ABC EVERYDAY 09/06/2021
What to do when a doctor isn't taking your pain seriously
Imogen Dunlevie was just 13 when the pain began.
It started before her first period and returned every month. She'd regularly have to miss a week of school as her whole life was put on pause by it.
"There were times I was so sick when I got my period, I couldn't walk," says the 27-year-old from Pakenham in Melbourne's outer east.
WIN News 18/05/2021
Chronic pain sufferers now have quicker access to answers at their fingertips.
A national directory's been launched today, to help the more than 54,000 Canberrans experiencing chronic pain.
Her Canberra 18/05/2021
The plight of those whose chronic pain remains invisible.
The 31-year-old has been diagnosed with Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and a heart condition—conditions which are not visible but which impact on her life.
Megan is sharing her story at today’s launch of Painaustralia’s new look and improved National Pain Services Directory at the Capital Pain and Rehabilitation Clinic in Canberra.
Painaustralia CEO Carol Bennett says the updated directory is a practical resource tool connecting consumers and health professionals with more than 200 specialised pain services across Australia.
The Canberra Times 16/05/2021
Almost 54,000 Canberrans living with chronic pain
...Painaustralia, Australia's peak pain advocacy body, is on Tuesday in Canberra launching a new National Pain Services Directory to help people in need find specialised pain treatments.
Painaustralia CEO Carol Bennett said the directory provided a list of more than 200 pain clinics which treated all types of pain conditions.
"The National Pain Services Directory is a practical resource tool that is not only used by consumers but also by GPs and other health professionals who are looking for evidence based, holistic treatments," she said...
9 News 18/04/2021
'I don't really want to live like this': Police officer in intense pain told there was nothing wrong
...Australia's national organisation, PainAustralia, said it is awaiting the progression of the government's new pain action plan.
Lauren Cannell is now back at work in the Tasmanian Police. (Supplied)
A spokesman for the Australian Department of Health, said the government is "committed" to helping Australians via the National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management...
The Australian Women's Weekly 04/2021
...In some instances, the pain is unexplained. "Chronic pain has been a hidden and invisible condition for many Australians for a long time", says Carol Bennett, CEO of Painaustralia. "Previously, I think it's been very misunderstood and, like mental health, somewhat stigmatised. but I think we're having a revolution because of the sheer numbers of people affected by it."
The Australian 05/04/2021
First-line drug for pain ‘not effective’
...Carol Bennett, the chief executive officer of Pain Australia, said the findings were surprising but confirmed what was already known about effective treatment for back pain.
“But we’ve known for some time with low back pain that what we really ought to be doing is get people moving and taking a proactive approach and really that’s the best way of managing it,” Ms Bennett said...
ABC PM 05/04/2021
A Sydney University study has found the evidence for paracetamol for many painful conditions is inconclusive and for back pain ineffective. The study looked at the use of paracetamol in 44 painful conditions and found its efficacy has been established for only a handful of conditions and its benefits often modest. Painaustralia CEO, Carol Bennett provides her comments to the ABC on the potential need to shift our mindset on paracetamol as the “go-to” medication if this is the trend we continue to see in the evidence.
Channel 9 News 05/04/2021
Paracetamol revealed ineffective for most conditions
A study by University of Sydney researchers looked at the “efficacy and safety of paracetamol for pain relief” in treating 44 painful conditions including knee or hip osteoarthritis, headaches and acute low back pain. For most conditions, evidence regarding the effectiveness of paracetamol is “insufficient for drawing a firm conclusion”. While the evidence for paracetamol’s efficacy in four conditions was moderate to strong, there is strong evidence it is not effective for reducing acute low back pain. See Painaustralia’s board member Sister May-Lynne Cochrane, who has experienced lower back pain nearly 40 years, in the Channel 9 news story here.
Medical Republic 29/03/2021
Words can hurt me: how language makes things worse
...The third project, the Community Education and Awareness Program, is run by Painaustralia and aims to offer people easy access to pain management information. “This is intended to be a trusted source of quality information in one place that enables people to get informed about what’s available out there,” says Carol Bennett, CEO at Painaustralia. The program includes a range of resources and links to research studies, a discussion forum and an app where people can interact and ask questions...
ABC Radio 28/03/2021
Tune in to ABC News Sunday National Digital Drive with Shelley Ware & Painaustralia
CEO Carol Bennett to explore new laws that came into effect in June 2020 concerning the prescription of opioids that have affected millions of Australians. Listen-back here https://buff.ly/3sEFwzb
The Sydney Morning Herald - 11/03/2021
A cheap heat pack to replace opioids for back pain? It may work
...Leah Dwyer, Painaustralia Consumer Advisory Group Memeber, who became hooked after using the drugs to treat chronic neck pain, said: “When I took these pills, I felt quite like, ‘She’ll be right, I can handle this.’ It gives you a sense of euphoria and control. It’s opium – that’s the part I think people forget. They make you not care about the pain.”
Eventually, Ms Dwyer was taking 15 pills a day. Her life came to revolve around them. But when she quit, she found the pain was not as bad as she had feared and easily treatable with Panadol...
The Science of Everything COSMOS - 11/03/2021
Pain education could end the opioid crisis
Last June, the Australian government introduced regulatory changes in opioids prescriptions to face this crisis. But restricting access to opioids without offering valid alternatives has left many Australians in pain.
“The challenge is to restrict the uptake and ongoing use of opioids for pain while ensuring patients continue to have access to safe, effective and adequate pain relief,” says Carol Bennett, CEO of national peak body painaustralia. “This study provides some insight into one mechanism for achieving this.”
ABC Late News - 09/03/2021
Sophie Scott ABC News interviewed Painaustralia CEO Carol Bennett about new restrictions on the use and availability of opioid medication, particularly for chronic pain management. Many people have been left without access to affordable alternative services, and are finding it very difficult to cope. https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NU2109H048S00
ABC News - 09/03/2021
Mary Lloyd & Sophie Scott ABC News interviewed Painaustralia CEO Carol Bennett about new restrictions on the use and availability of opioid medication, particularly for chronic pain management. Here is the full interview! #painaustralia also available on
ABC News - 09/03/2021
New rules around opioid prescriptions leave few options for Australians in pain
Chief executive of Painaustralia Carol Bennett said the changes had serious consequences for more than 3 million Australians who experienced chronic pain.
"Many people have been extremely distressed, some of them suicidal, and that's been a really awful part of this policy change," she said.
"We need to see better pain services in place and … that ideally would have happened before this policy change had been made."
The Medical Republic - 22/02/2021
Migraine still needs management as triptans go OTC
Experts warn the availability of over-the-counter triptans for migraine patients could be risky if they aren’t regularly monitored by their ...
other triptans can be downscheduled. Carol Bennett, CEO of Painaustralia, welcomed the increased accessibility this would provide for
royalauto - 15/01/2021
Easing the way for drivers with chronic pain
RACV launches new survey to address driving with chronic pain.
Many drivers can feel their muscles twinge after a long stint behind the wheel but for people with chronic pain, the challenge of driving for prolonged periods can impact their everyday lives. Experts say 14 per cent of Australians – 3.5 million people – suffer chronic pain, but many want to continue to drive.
Prevention - 16/12/2020
CBD medicines available over the counter from 2021
The decision to allow CBD products to be sold over the counter in Australia has been welcomed by industry groups and those suffering from chronic pain.
Australian patients will be allowed purchase CBD products over the counter without the need for a prescription from February 1, 2021.
Retail Pharmacy - 16/12/2020
TGA Announces OTC Access for Low Dose CBD
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced on 15 December a final decision to down-schedule certain low dose cannabidiol (CBD) preparations from Schedule 4 (Prescription Medicine) to Schedule 3 (Pharmacist Only Medicine).
According to a statement released by the TGA this decision allows approved low-dose CBD-containing products (up to a maximum of 150mg/day) for use in adults, to be supplied OTC by a pharmacist, without prescription.
2020
The Daily Telegraph - 03 September 2020
The Courier Mail - 02 September 2020
Aged Care 360: News Corp launches campaign to sort out aged care mess
Senator Wendy Askew speaks on the cost of chronic pain - 01 September 2020
The House of Wellness - 20 August 2020
The Australian - 17 August 2020
Botched government rollout leaves people in pain with no support
ABC Brisbane Radio - 17 August 2020
Painaustralia CEO, Carol Bennett speaks to ABC Brisbane Radio about impact of Opioid Reforms.
The Saturday Paper - 15 August 2020
ABC News - 21 June 2020
Our CEO speaks to Anna Vidot on ABC Canberra's Drive about chronic pain and its massive impact. https://soundcloud.com/nick-nguyen-639115668/painaustralia-ceo-carol-bennett-speaks-to-abc-drive-canberra
The Daily Advertiser - 12 June 2020
Pain Australia, Cassie Brady call for better specialist pain treatment in Wagga (Paywall)
The Retail Pharmacy - 05 June 2020
Painaustralia CEO speaks on tighter regulation of opioid use, #COVID19, and broader need for multidisciplinary pain management in Australia in the June 2020 issue of Retail Pharmacy. https://buff.ly/2U7DMPk
The Age - 27 May 2020
Painkiller packs cut down to size as opioid crackdown intensifies
Kin - 19 May 2020
https://kinfertility.com.au/tidings/what-is-pelvic-floor-pain-and-is-it-treatable…“Pelvic floor pain can be associated with any number of symptoms,” says the CEO of Painaustralia, Carol Bennett…
Australian Senior - 12 May 2020
Community Care Review - 12 May 2020
The Canberra Times - 10 May 2020
New course fills the chronic pain gap (Paywall)
ABC NEWS - 7 May 2020
ABC news ABC News speaks with Carol Bennett about the new AIHW report on chronic pain in Australia (at 31.07 mark)
Croakey - 1 May 2020
Opioid prescribing conundrums in the era of health care reform
SBS News - 14 April 2020
The Daily Telegraph-20 March 2020
The Guardian-16 February 2020
The Guardian-15 February 2020
Life after opioids: 'I went home and cried for a long time. I felt really stupid'
The Age-6 February 2020
Opioid crisis: Australian states told to act now or suffer a public health emergency
The Sydney Morning Herald-4 February 2020
Australia's opioid crisis: Deaths rise as companies encourage doctors to prescribe
10 News-23 January 2020
Researchers at the University of Sydney have used human stem cells to make pain-killing neurons that provide lasting relief in mice, without side effects, in a single treatment. Prof Paul Glare interviewed https://buff.ly/2U0Fwe9 ( also aired on Channel 10 News)
